Temperature regulator



July 6 1926. Y

W. M. FULTON TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed Nov. 8. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1July 6,1926. 1,591,085

' w. M. FULTON TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed Nov. 8, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented July 6,

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE,"

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TEMPERATURE REGULATOR- Application filed November 8, 1920. Serial l io.452,586. I

Thisinvention relates to automatic regulating devices, especiallytemperature regulators, and while ca able of 'use info wide variety ofdevices this t pe, has part1c- 5 ular utility when embodie 1n means forregulating the flow of a heating medium to a tank or other receptaclefor-containing a heated medium.

In devices of this type wherein a valve W is opened. and closedbythermosensit'ive means, the adual response of said thermosensitivemeans to temperature changes tends to gradually move the valve towardand away from its seat sothat just pr or to closing and immediatelyafter opening a narrow annular s ace is left betweenthe valve member anits seat through which the heating medium rushes under pressure ;to wearand score the valve member and its seat. This is particularly true whensteam -is employed as the heating medium, pr0- 'diicing the defect knownas wire drawln This scoring of thevalve member and its t causes thevalve to leak and thereafter '1. renders sensitive control of thetemperature of the heated medium impossible. 'This defect may beovercome/in part by rendering the valve unbalanced and admitting theheati'n medium thereto so that it'tends to hold t e valve to itsseat..But experience has demonstratedthat it is exceedingly difficult to tworkmen to always insta l a device of t 15 character so that the flowbfY heating medium is in the proper direction V for the unbalancedpressure to tend to hold the valve to its seat whereby,either throughcarelessness or indifierence, theins'tallation is frequently madewithout respect to the direction of the flow of the heatlng medium 40'with res ect to the valve. Consequently, 'if

the insta lation be made so that the heating medium flows past the valvein the wrong direction, the tendency for the valve to cause wire drawingis accentuated by the tendency of the pressure acting thereon to retardits movement toward and away-jfrom itsseat.

It is an object of this invention to provide a regulating device withmeans cooperating with the valve to accelerate its movement both towardand away from its seat in, I whichever direction the heating medium .isflowing with res ect thereto.

In my Patent 0. 1,102,035, granted- June I 30, 1914, a tank regulatordisclosed in which the valve is automatically operated by a thermostatcomprising anex ansible and collapsible vessel and a bulb incommunication therewith, said bulb being charged with a volatile liquid,said vessel 60 and its connections with said bulb being maintained fullof liquid, and said bulb being so related to said connections that theva-por.of saidvolatile liquid is trapped in saidbulb. The diminishingmass of volatile 06 liquid ,in the bulb asthetemper'ature rises and thevapor tension forces said'liquid into said connections and'vessel toexpand the latter causes acceleration of the valve as it i approachesits seat, 'wherebyqtwire-drawing is decreased to a greateror lessextent. The full advantage in the use of this diminishing mass ofvolatile liquid can be secured, 7 however, only if the valve be sorelated to the flow of heating medium that its pressure 7 i doesnot'tend to retard the movement of the valve toward its seat. v

It is an'object of this-invention to provide a regulating device withmeans, cooperating Wlth the valve to accelerate its-movement 30 bothtoward and awayffrom its seat, which can be combined with a thermostatof the type disclo'sd'in said patent and take full advantage of thevariable mass action of sa1d thermo'stat "in whichever direction theheating medium may flow with respect to said-valve.

In order to adjust the temperature at which a regulating device of the'type in questlon operates to open and close the valve, 1t has beensuggested to oppose move -ment of the valve by an'adjustable spring or.weight. A spring. possesses the disadvantage that a varying force isnecessary to overcome its varying tension, so that the 5 movement ofthe-valve as it approaches its seat may be retarded by the increasingtension of the spring. Therefore, adjustable welghts have been usedextensively in 0115-1 posing "the movement of the valve inone direction,notwithstanding that they substantially increase the bulk and'wei ht'ofthe device, beca'use of the substantial y uniform. oppositionithat theyafford to the movement of the valve.

It is an object of this invention to provide a regulating device with aspring for opposmgmovement of the "valve in one direction and to-supplysaid regulating device with means cooperating with the valve toiaccelerate its movement adjacent its seat otwi'thstanding the'variableopposition of idggspring.

. Again-,,,m regulatin devices of the type i in question as hereto oreconstructed, the

. valve stem hasbeen provided with a packthermostat may be set to oerate the valve before it can develop sufiicicahtfadditional--frictional resistance.

ing gland to prevent leakage therearound. In order that leakage shall beprevented,

ressure on the valve valve.

opened and closed because, although the at a given temperature, e' temrature must rise above the predetermine' degree power" to overcome thefrictional resistance while, on the other hand',:"1t must drop be"lbw"the' predetermined degreewbefore the spring or weight will acttqovercome said It is an object of this invention to pro- I ,vide' aregulating device with means form- I -ing a fluid-tight joint with thevalve stem and valve housing which will oppose a mini-.

'- 1 mum resistance to the movement of the valve 5 so that. the devicemay regulate the temperature more closely and, therefore, be-

a 1- as I valve and takes the form of a flexible wall more sensitive totemperature changes.

Other objects of the present invention relate to the provision of a'regulatin in operation and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Stated broadly, the inventionlicomprises blewalland makes fluid-tightjoints with the valvestem and valve housing. The auto- 'matic means foroperating the valve 'm'ay' be'of anyqsuitable construction,.butisdesirably ofthe type disclosed in my Patent No.";-1,102,035. abovereferred to, in which event a sprin may be utilized for opposing.

movement-Ho the valve in one direction f'owing to. the'automaticacceleration afl'orded ";j by the member cooperating with the valve.

The invention is capable of receiving a varietyofmechanicalexpressions.two of which are shown on the accompanym draws jings, but it is to beexpress y un erstood that the drawm are for purposes of il1u s trationonly an are notcto' be construed as stat of the type disclose patent;and

device which is simple in construction, 9 c'ient a definition of thelimits of the invention.

reference being'had to the appended claims,

for that urpose.

Referring in detail to .said drawing, wherein the same referencecharacters'are used to designate corresponding parts in both fig'ures:-I

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of a temperature regulatorembodying the present invention and em loying a thermoin my aforesaidFig. 2 is an elevation'partly iii-section of another regulating dev1ceembodying the present. invention and employing a thermostatof modifiedconstruction. '7

In the form shown in'Fig. 1, 1 designates a conduit for conveying anysuitable heat ing medium and. 2"

esignates a valve;housing of any suitable construction interposed insaid conduit. Said valve housing 2 is provided interiorly in anysuitable way with a valve' seat 3, the port 4.- of which is designed tobe'opened and closed bya valve .member 5' of any suitable construction.

I In conformity, with the present invention, amember [is operativelyconnected to said valve member 5- and cooperates therewith to accelerateits movement adjacent its seat both when openin and when closing theport 4 therein. S aid member may be of any suitable construction, butpreferably constitutes a fluid-tight packing for the which makes afluid-tight joint with both the valve or its stem and the valve 'hous- I=ing. In the-form shown, said memberis composed of a corru ated,expansible and colla sible wall 6, which is flanged at 7 and tight yclamped to the housing 2 by the bonnet 8, "and which has a movable endwall. 9 which is referably imperforate and .suitabl attache to the valvemember 5 and "the vs; vs stem 10. said movable end wall -9 is Iar erthan the valve member 5 so that v subjected to the pressure in the?.chamber' 11' atone side of the valve seat is its sur of largereifective area than the opposed ill:

surface of said-valve member. 5.

'The valve, stem 10 has a freesliding fit in the aperture 12 through thebonnet 8 and is operativelyconnected, as. by the stem 13,

to automatic means of any suitable constructionforf operating saidvalve. Saidauto- I :inatic means preferably takes the form of'athermostat, and said thermostat may beof,

any suitable construction. -In the form'l'j shown in Fig. 1 a thermostatof the-general .t pe. disclosed mfl n Patent lb. 1,102,035

a ve identified is i ustrated,'an d comprises a vessel having afiexible'wa'll, shown as a corrugated expansible and collafisible vessel14 the movable end wall 15 of w ich is operatively connectedin anysuitable way to the stem 13. The opposite and stationary end wall 16 ofsaid vessel 14 is suitably carried by aiframe 17 which may be mounteddesirably, on the bonnet 8 of the valve housing 2. Said vessel 14,communicates throu h a flexible'elongated conduit or tube 18 with abulb19, designed to be suitabl retained in heat-interchanging relationwitli the medium to be heated in a tank or other receptacle;

Said bulb 19 is charged with a volatile liquid which partiallyfills thesame, while the tube 18 and the vessel 14 are maintained full of liquid,said bulb being so related to said connecting tube that the vapor of thevolatile liquid is tra pad in said bulb. This may be accomplis'he 1n anysuitableway, but inorder that the vapor may be trapped in the bulb.whether the latter is in vertical or horizontal position, the tube 18may be ex-' tended to a point adjacent the free end of the bulb, asshown at 20, and may, if de-' sired, be bent at said end so as topresent'its 2 1s to be expressly understood, however, that not describedin further detail.

" said bulb and expansible collapsible-veer sel, as well astheconnections therebetween' a d,themountings therefor, may be of any 0t ersuitable construction and are therefore In order to predetermine thetemperature at which the thermostat'responds to operate the valve, theexpansion of said vessel 14 is preferably opposed by 'a'lcoil spring 21,

' which is shown as encircling the stem 13 and -inengagement at oneendwith the movable 85 "(means may be" provided for adjusting the end we1- 15 of said vessel. Any suitable tension of; l 1saidgspring and, inthe form shown, thewppositeend of saids ring engages a collar 22wrath-has a be bearing nut 24 which is threadedionto [a sleeve 25surroundingthe stem 23 on. a hand In the'form shown in Fig. 2, theconstruc- -tion is substantially the same asthat illusmedium-{as steam,is flowing in the directionv ,of thearrow 31. When the valve is -closed,"jtrated in Fignliexcept-that the elongated m antime. 18 i's' omittedand the bulb- 19 J communicates directl with the-expansible andcollapsible vesse 14 through the aperture in the elongated hub towhichsaid' bulb and vessel are respectively attached.'

. In operation, [assume that the heating the pressure in the chamber"11' tends to open said valve-by 'a force equal to the dif ference inarea between the movable end wall 9 'and the upper face of said valvetimes saidpressure. p p the tension of the spring 21 is oppose by 'thethermostat.

This unbalanced force lus When the temperature drops sufiiciently sothat the condensation 'of vapor 1n the bulb 19 permits the spring 21'-to begin to collapse the vessel 14,. the valve 5 begins to open, andimmediately that the heating medium begins to flow therepast, apressureds built up on the underface of opening adjacent theswall of thebulb. It

the valve, the

said valve. This increment of pressure balances some-of the pressure onthe upper face of the'valve, or adds to the unbalanced pres- I sureacting on the movable end wall 9 and accelerates the movement of thevalve away from its-seat. The farther the valve moves from its seatthemore, nearly the pressure on its underface approximates that in* thechamber '11, until the unbalanced pressure acting to move the valve awayfrom -its-, seat is equaltothe areaof the movable end wall .9 times saidpresure. .It will "be perceived that, while the unbalancedpressuretending to 'open the valve when the latter is closed is equaltothe difi'erenm in area between the movable end wa1l-9 andthe upper faceof the valve times the pressure, the unbalanced force tending toopen-the valve when the latter is open is equal to; the area of themovable end wall 9 times said pressure, so that from the instant thevalve begins to leave its seat there is an increasing unbalancedpressure tending to a open the same whereby said valve moves withacceleration away from its seat.

Conversely, when the temperature rises so that the vapor tension in thebulb 19 is suf- "'ficient to overcome the tension of the spring 21 andthe unbalancedpressure tending to mainta-inthe valve open, vessel 14expandsto move the valve 5- toward its seat. But, as said valveapproaches its seat, the pres-- sure on-its underside falls off, so thatthere is a diminution inthe unbalanced force opsing movement of thevalve, which varies.-

rom the area-of the-movable wall:,,9 times the pressure to, thedifierenoe in area between said movable end wall 9 and the upper- SlX-posing force is diminishing, it is apparent face of thevalve-times-said,pressure. the moving force is constant and the opthatsaid valve willapproach its seat with' acceleration.

ing medium is flowingin the direction of the the valve in the cham r33.1 Disregarding the difference inarea between the ort and the valvemember, the unbalanced oroetendin to open the valve-is On-the otherhand, suppose that theheatarrow 32 so that the ressu're is applied to Ithe area of the lower" ace of the valve times" the pressure. As soonasthe valve be ins to 1 and, w ile part of the pressure on the underfaceof the valve is balanced by-thefincrement of pressure acting on the up rface of pfiessure in the c amber'11 is applied to the movable end wall 9which a gradient of pressureas the valve moves pressure.

plr'essure builds up in the chem er 11 Conversely, when the valve isbeing closed, the pressure'opposing movement thereof decreases from anamount e ual to the area of the movable end wall 9 times the pressure toan amount e ual to the area of the lower face of the va ve times thepressure. vAs the moving force is constant-and the opposing forcediminishing, it is apparent. that here again the. valve approaches itsseat with r g 1 acceleration.-

It will therefore be perceived that a reguf latin device-has beenprovided wherein a m'em r cooperates with the valve to accel-. erate itsmovement .both toward and away from-itsseatand whi'chis o rative to ac--celerate such movement in w ichever, direci tion the heating medium isflowin with respect to said valve.

position to movement of a tight packing 1 3 gland is replaced by therelatively. small recomes no longer necessary to install the valve inanya particular way with respect to the direction of flow of the heatingmedium,- and the carelessness or indifference of the workmen, in makingthe installation, as to the direction of flow of the heating medium nolonger becomes material.

At thesame time, a regulating device has been provided with means'foraccelerating the movement of the valve with respect to I its seatwhich is available for use with a thermostat employing the principledisclosed in my Patent No. 1,102,035a'nd which effects acceleration ofthe valve in a device of that character in whichever direction theheating medium may flow with respect thereto.

Furthermore", as the valve is provided with means to accelerate itsmovement adjacent its seat, as ring may be utilized for prede--termining t e temperature at which the thermostat' responds withoutdanger of the increasing tension of the spring causing the valveto havea retarded movement adjacent its seat, with the attendant scoring andwearing of the valve parts.

Additionally, as the valve stem may slide freely inits bonnet 8' and thefrictional opsistance of a flexible wall, the device willrespond morepromptly to temperature changes and is more sensitive in action.

The effective area of the movable member operatively connected to the.valve may be selected to. provide the desired acceleration takingintoconsideration the size of the valve to be used and the pressure towhich the heating medium is subjected .and, therefore, the regulatingdevice may be used with Consequentit be-.

' higher pressures and with larger valves than has heretofore beenpossible owing to the rapid destruction of the valve in prior deviceswhen large valves or high pressures were used. I

. While the embodiments of the invention shown on the drawin s have beendescribed with considerable artlcu'larity, it is to be expresslyundersto that the invention is not limited thereto as the same iscapable of bination of a conduit for conveying a heat- I ing medium, avalve for controlling the flow of heating'medium through saidconduit,'a-

flexible wall operatively connected to said valve and subjected to thepressure in said conduit, said wall having a larger efiective areathan-that of the opposed surfaceof said valve, a vessel having aflexible wall con-' cation with said vessel, said bulb and vessel beingcharged with a volatile liquid and said bulb being so connected to saidvessel as to trap the vapor of said liquidin said bulb.

2. In a tankregulator, the combination of a, conduit for conveying aheating medium, avalve for controlling the flow of heatin medium throughsaid conduit, a' corrugate nected to said valve, and a bulb incommuniexpansible and collapsible vessel having a duit, said movable endwall .having a larger effective area than said valve, a secondexpansible and collapsible vessel connected to said valve, and a bulb incommunication with said last-named" vessel, saidlast-named vessel andits connections with said bulbbeing filled with liquid,.and said bulbbeing charged with a volatile liquid and so related to said connectionsthat the vapor of said volatile liquid is trapped in said bulb.

movable end wall connected to said valve and subjected to the pressurein said con In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. I p

' WESTOD? M. FULTON.

